Tips2023-10-12T23:59:11+00:00

In discovery mode?

So are we!

The future of Voiijer is in your hands.

Thank you for being an early adopter of this revolutionary app. As part of our commitment to our explorer community, we are constantly optimizing the app experience with new and updated features.

Your feedback is encouraged and always welcome. If you cannot find what you need in the sections below, please contact us to ask questions or tell us how we can make Voiijer more useful.

Quick Start Guides

Overview

Start by creating an account and logging in. Once logged in, you can explore posts in the feed, search for content related to people, topics, or Voiij stories, create your own Voiij story, collaborate with others on Voiij stories, and manage your profile to update personal information and oversee your Voiij stories.

Your profile

Your profile contains your information, saved Voiijs, and unpublished Voiijs. It’s public, but only published journeys are visible to others. You can follow other users and collaborate with them later.

Search

Search is the second icon in the menu at the bottom of the app. Search allows you to search for people, voiijs, topics, or observations. The search function is very literal. It’s looking for an exact match sequence of letters.

Start a New Voiij

When you press the Plus button in the app, you can begin a new “Voiij.” A Voiij has two parts: the story and the collection. Think of the collection as a storage spot for things related to your story. You can place items in the collection and then choose whether to use them in your story. If you put something in the story, it automatically goes into the collection.

To kick off a new Voiij, either add a question to your story (which you can change later) or go to the collection and add at least one observation. But keep in mind, you can only add observations to your story once you have a question. You can also invite others to join you.

After you’ve created a Voiij, you can delete it. But be careful because you might lose things like notes or recordings you made in the app.

Collaboration

To invite someone to work with you on your project, add them to your collaboration list. But there’s a catch – you must follow them, and they must follow you back. This safety measure ensures you can only ask people you know on the app to collaborate with you. You can’t just invite anyone.

 

Once you follow each other, go to the project you want to collaborate on. Find the collaboration list and invite the person you want to work with. Once you’ve sent an invitation. The other person can look in their notifications tab and find the invitation. They can accept it.

As a collaborator, you can add things to the project like images, notes, and tags. You can take something out or edit your own stuff. You can also move items around in the project to help organize it. Remember, collaborators can’t publish or edit things they didn’t create.

Make Observations

You can use Voiijer to record and save various types of observations. You can take pictures, videos and even record audio. You can also add notes, which are like messages you write about your observations.

 

You can also include 3D files, but they must be in a format called USDZ. When you add a 3D file, you can view it in augmented reality, which means you can see it in 3D on your phone. You can also just look at the 3D object by itself.

The app can connect to your file server, like Dropbox or Google Drive. You can also bring photos, videos, audio recordings, and 3D files from these places.

For each observation, you can also add some extra information. You can tell where you are by typing in the location. You can add tags, which are like labels to help you find your observations later.

FAQs

 

Thank you to everyone who has submitted questions! We’ll continue to refine this list to make it as comprehensive as possible.

WHY IS THE VOIIJ TITLE A QUESTION?2023-10-13T01:14:37+00:00

Voiijer is inspired by the scientific method. It’s designed to be just as useful to scientists as it is explorers or even school projects.

  • Ask Question/s
  • Research > Hypothesis > Experiment > Analyze
  • Then share your story of discovery! 

While we love exploring and learning for the sake of raw knowledge, we’re also seeking answers to the bigger questions—and setting up a framework for a larger story, stronger engagement, and deeper discovery.
Stuck on what question to ask? Try these prompts to get you started:

  • What if … 
  • Can [this] help [that]?
  • How many [things] can I find [here]?
  • Is [this] really the solution to [that]? 
  • What does a trip to [place] sound/look/feel like?
  • Why is [this] disappearing?
  • What will we find when we [do this, go here, try that]?

And remember—you as the owner can edit your question at any point, even after you have published your Voiij. Keep refining as your story takes shape!

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A QUESTION YET?2023-10-13T01:13:55+00:00

That’s OK! A Voiij will save with a default title until you add a Question. Even without a Question, you can still

  • Add collaborators
  • Make observations and keep them in the Collection
  • Work on it (alone or with a team) as long as you want.

A Question is only required when you want to add Observations to a Story, publish your Voiij, and share it with others. 

Remember: You can find all your Voiijs on your Profile page. Published, unplushed, with or without a Question + Story.

WHY CAN’T I ADD OBSERVATIONS TO MY VOIIJ STORY?2023-10-13T01:17:08+00:00

We’ll answer your question with a Question—literally. To start your Voiij Story and add observations, you need to ask a Question.

Remember, there’s no pressure to get the Question right—you can change it at any time, even after your Voiij is published.

CAN I KEEP MY VOIIJs PRIVATE?2023-10-13T01:21:10+00:00

Of course! All new Voiijs are private by default. You have to “Publish” a Voiij before others can see it. The only exception here is with Collaborators—any Collaborator you’ve invited to your Voiij Story will be able to see and contribute to your Story before and after it is published.

Private Voiijs have an “UNPUBLISHED” label, which can be seen from the Voiijs list on your Profile.

Note: The Publish button is at the top of the Voiij Story and will be active if you have met the minimum requirements to Publish a Voiij (Question + at least one Observation).

CAN I CHANGE MY QUESTION?2023-10-13T01:13:25+00:00

Absolutely. You can change your Question (aka “Voiij name”) at any point.

Reminder: Only the Voiij Owner has the ability to edit a Question.

MY OBSERVATION ISN’T UPLOADING. HELP.2023-10-13T01:17:33+00:00

To create and upload Observations, please make sure to check that your file meets the following requirements:

 

  • Access and connection to cellular or wifi service. You can not upload or make observations while the app is offline.
  • File sizes under 100MB. File sizes are limited to 100MB. Large files, like scans or videos, are often too large to upload without compression.
  • Voiijer videos under 4 minutes. Note that videos taken on a modern iPhone are limited to 50 seconds due to the high resolution and file size.
  • No “Live” iPhone photos or GIFs. 
  • Correct file formats:
  • Photos (.png, .jpg, .jpeg)
  • Videos (.mp4, .mov) 
  • Audio files (.m4a, .mp3),
  • Text files (.txt) 
  • 3D scans (.USDZ)


Still struggling with uploading and making an Observation? Click here to ask our team for help.

WHAT ARE THE FILE SIZE LIMITATIONS FOR OBSERVATIONS?2023-10-13T01:17:59+00:00

Voiijer readily accepts file sizes up to 100MB per observation. File sizes over 100MB will not be accepted. 

Here are some general guardrails to consider:

  • In-app Videos: Up to 4 minutes.
  • iPhone videos: Up to 50 seconds.
  • Images: Up to 100MB (generally everything)
  • Audio Recordings: Typically around 1MB per minute.
  • 3D Scans: Depending on file size. Click here for more information on 3D scans.
HOW DO I INVITE SOMEONE TO COLLABORATE?2023-10-13T01:24:01+00:00

To invite a Collaborator to a Voiij, you must both be following each other.

 

  1.   To follow someone:
  • Search for that person: Search > People tab.
  • Tap on the person’s name and tap the “Follow” button at the top of their profile.
  • Ask them to do the same (to follow you).

 

  1.   To invite someone:
  • Go to your Voiij and top the + button next to your avatar at the top of the Voiij Story.
  • Locate the person and tap Invite..
  • Their status will change to Pending.

 

  1.   To accept an invite:
  • Go to the Notifications page (the bell) and accept the invite.
  • On your Profile page, you will see the Voiij you have been invited to collaborate on
  • If you don’t see it, pull down on the Voiijs list to refresh it (it may take a few minutes to appear).

 

Note: Collaboration invites currently do not trigger an alert or notification. You must check and accept manually.

DOES PUBLISHING MAKE IT PUBLIC?2023-10-13T01:21:35+00:00

Yes. When you publish a Voiij, it will be visible to others on the Home Page, in Search, and on your Profile. 

WHAT IS THE VOIIJ “STORY”?2023-10-13T01:13:06+00:00

Short answer: The Voiij Story is your journey to answer your Voijj Question. It’s your process, observations, and aha’s along the way.

Your Story can be told in many different ways.

  • Add as many observations as you like
  • Change the order of presented observations (using the up and down arrowsarros)
  • Move observations in and out of the Collection
  • Publish for public consumption or keep private.
    Note: Please be sure to add Findings prior to publishing—this helps your audience better understand your discoveries and conclusions)

TIP: Many explorers choose to start their Story with a video explaining the importance of their question and the details that were important along the way.


Right now there is only one Story per Voiij, but in future we will have the ability to tell multiple Stories per Voiij, all using the same observations from the master Collection. 

 

WHAT FILE FORMAT SHOULD I USE FOR 3D FILES?2023-10-13T01:18:31+00:00

The Voiijer app currently only accepts Apple’s native 3D file format .USDZ

They are just another observation type. The only difference is that you have to create the 3D (xxxx.usdz) file in another program, and then upload it into the app. 

Check out this presentation or the Discussions & Deep-dives section below for suggestions on the three free apps you can use to create 3D scans to then upload into your Voiijs.

You can also:

  • Find existing 3D scans with CC/CCO usage on Sketchfab (or public institutional sites).
  • Convert existing scans you may have to .USDZ (Sketchfab Pro allows you to do this without 3D software).
HOW DO WE KNOW IF WE’VE BEEN INVITED TO COLLABORATE?2023-10-13T01:24:34+00:00

Currently the app does not send an alert when an invite has been requested or accepted. 

 

To make sure your collaborator knows they have been invited, it’s good practice to let them know outside the app and remind them to check the Notifications page (the bell), where they can accept the invitation to collaborate.

DOES THE APP WORK OFFLINE?2023-10-13T01:26:05+00:00

As of Fall 2023, the Voiijer app is fully cloud-based and requires an active WiFi or cell signal for full functionality. While offline, you will not be able to create, update, or browse existing content. If you are in an area with poor connection, it is a good idea to make observations on your phone using the default camera or VoiceMemo app. You can upload them into the app when you are back on WiFi.

CAN I “UNPUBLISH” A VOIIJ?2023-10-13T01:21:57+00:00

As of this writing, no. Once a Voiij is published, it cannot be undone. We’re working hard on this feature, so stay tuned for updates!

If you’ve published something accidentally, we may be able to support you from our side of things. Send an email with the Voiij name and question to our team here

In the meantime, you still have editing capabilities (see next question for details)

WHAT ARE COLLECTIONS?2023-10-13T01:12:43+00:00

Short answer: The Collection is like the Voiij back-up—all observations added to the Voiij will be saved in the Collection.

It is unstructured, meaning observations are added to the Collection in the order they are made or uploaded, and you cannot change the order. (You’ll have more control over this in the actual Story.)

Every observation is automatically housed in the Collection, even if it’s added directly to a Story. If an observation is removed from a Story, a copy will still remain in the Collection for safekeeping.

 

CAN I ADD OUTSIDE/EXISTING MEDIA AS AN OBSERVATION?2023-10-13T01:19:07+00:00

Absolutely!. Use the ‘Add from Files’ option on the “+” button from inside an active Voiij. 

Files are readily accepted from your phone’s Camera Roll as well as any connected file server like iCloud, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

File size limits (100MB per file) still apply to media that is uploaded into a Voiij. Additionally, files will need to be in our required formats.

  • Photos (.png, .jpg, .jpeg)
  • Videos (.mp4, .mov) 
  • Audio files (.m4a, .mp3),
  • Text files (.txt) 
  • 3D scans (.USDZ)

Each observation will automatically map to its observation type.

WHAT PERMISSIONS DO COLLABORATORS HAVE?2023-10-13T01:24:54+00:00

A Collaborator will be able to see your Voiij, even if it is unpublished (private).

Collaborators can:

  • Add observations to the Voiij Collection or Story
  • Edit or delete their own observations
  • Add or remove any observation from the Story
  • Change the observation order in Story 

Collaborators cannot:

  • Edit or delete the observations of the Voiijer Owner or any other collaborators
  • Edit the Voiij Question (name)
  • Publish the Voiij.

Note: Only a Voiij Owner can edit the Question or publish the Voiij.

 

WHAT ARE BOOKMARKS AND HOW DO I USE THEM?2023-10-13T01:26:27+00:00

Bookmarks allow you to save Observations and Voiijs for easy referencing and discovery. 

Simply use the bookmark button on a Voiij or individual Observations. All bookmarks will appear on your Profile > Saved Voiijs > Saved Observations tabs.

CAN I SHARE A VOIIJ?2023-10-13T01:12:16+00:00

Yes! You can now easily share a link back to your Story or a teaser generated by the app through your favorite social channels, email, and more!

CAN I EDIT A PUBLISHED VOIIJ?2023-10-13T01:22:24+00:00

You bet. Published Voiijs can be edited at any time. To make an edit, follow these steps.

  1. Go to the Voiij
  2. In the top-right corner tap on the three dots “…”
  3. Select ‘Manage’
  4. The Voiij is now back in Edit mode, where you can add, remove, and reorder as needed.
CAN I SHARE AN OBSERVATION?2023-10-13T01:20:20+00:00

Not yet—but check back often as we’re working to make this functional soon!

HOW DO COLLABORATION INVITES WORK?2023-10-13T01:25:37+00:00

To invite a Collaborator to a Voiij, you must both be following each other.

  1.   To follow someone:
  • Search for that person: Search > People tab.
  • Tap on the person’s name and tap the “Follow” button at the top of their profile.
  • Ask them to do the same (to follow you).
  1.   To invite someone:
  • Go to your Voiij and top the + button next to your avatar at the top of the Voiij Story.
  • Locate the person and tap Invite..
  • Their status will change to Pending.
  1.   To accept an invite:
  • Go to the Notifications page (the bell) and accept the invite.
  • On your Profile page, you will see the Voiij you have been invited to collaborate on
  • If you don’t see it, pull down on the Voiijs list to refresh it (it may take a few minutes to appear).

Note: Collaboration invites currently do not trigger an alert or notification. You must check and accept manually.

 

CAN I KEEP MY VOIIJs PRIVATE?2023-09-20T15:20:31+00:00

Of course! All new Voiijs are private by default. You have to “Publish” a Voiij before others can see it. The only exception here is with Collaborators—any Collaborator you’ve invited to your Voiij Story will be able to see and contribute to your Story before and after it is published.

 

Private Voiijs have an “UNPUBLISHED” label, which can be seen from the Voiijs list on your Profile. 


Note: The Publish button is at the top of the Voiij Story and will be active if you have met the minimum requirements to Publish a Voiij (Question + at least one Observation).

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